♡ Friends ♡

Hello!

Welcome to my second post for this month....what a month that it has been. 

Have you stayed up to date with our blog and the projects the girls have been sharing?

We have truly 'gone all out' this month challenging ourselves with colours and styles that we don't normally create with. If you haven't seen our projects why not grab a cuppa and head back through the blog.

We have also got some gorgeous entries coming in. Be sure to check these out here on the blog or over on our Facebook page ~ some great inspiration right there!

Today I have a DOUBLE layout to share with you! It isn't often that I create double layouts but I just couldn't go past a double with the two photos that I used. I really could have put both photos onto a single layout but I would have had to reprint my photos (me being lazy)!

So, here is my layout...

Such a bright and fun page of my gorgeous friends on our 2017 Geelong trip!

I have been playing with the Ultimate Crafts "L'aquarelle Designs" paper collection this month. So not my type of paper.....!!!! However, I have loved what I have been creating with this paper collection.

One part of our challenge this month is to use a COLOUR you don't normally use or like...well purple, oranges and yellows I don't normally use.

I have started with the paper from 'L'aquarelle Designs' collection and then added some more purple with the Lindy's Stamp Gang Magical Shaker - Polka Purple. I did this across both pages.

I then cut some colour squares from the paper collection and added them to my pages. I also splattered some Heidi Swapp Colour Shine in the background in Teal and Peach.

I decided that it was all a bit bright so added some stamping to the background using my Darkroom Door French Script Background Stamp and the IndigoBlu Ledger Background Stamp. This also helps with the challenge requirement 'Use stamping somewhere on your project'

I also stamped a few IndigoBlu 'Ink Splat Butterfly' images in the corners where I had planned and ended up placing some die cut butterfly embellishments.

The cute butterfly embellishments are created using the Kaisercraft Dies and Stamps - Flutter. These are a great product - two uses in one - stamping an image and then die cutting. Love them!
I stamped onto some of the colourful papers from 'L'aquarelle Designs' collection.

Another part of the challenge ticked off...'Use die cuts on your project'

The black circle die cut silhouettes are from 'Scrap FX' - they are pretty cool!

I finished with my title using the Heidi Swapp Vintage Chic: Buzz Words ~ 'Friends' and added the final part of the title handwritten ~ 'are the Family you Choose'

The last part of the challenge completed 'Friends' in any form that you choose - photo, title, quote journalling....(I have hidden my journalling behind the photo of Jane and I 😃)

I also added some of the Heidi Swapp Vintage Chic: Buzz Words on the other half of the layout. These have been in my collection for years...so nice to use them again!

Well, that is all from me today! I do love how this double layout turned out.

I hope that you are putting the final touches on your little project to enter in our challenge for the chance to win a fantastic prize from Scrapbookit! You've got to be in it to win it.

Hope you enjoy your weekend!
...Melx

Best Friends

Hello, Can you believe that it is April already? Not to long to go now until our Autumn retreat!

We have enjoyed a really great Easter, we spent some time camping on the mighty Murray river and now we are enjoying school holidays here in Vic.

The Layout I have done today is called Best Friends and is a photo of my twin sister and I and her eldest child, this photo was actually 12 years ago but it brings back a lot of good memory's so I decided to use it for my challenge page this month.

 This month I have worked with the BoBunny Penelope paper range. Wow what a challenge that was! I'm pretty happy with the end result though. I have started my layout applying a thin layer of Gesso with a palette knife, I then mixed up a little bit of the Lindy's Magical Shaker in the Lederhosen Laurel with some water on some plastic and used the packaging technique to smear this across the page, next I used my Dylusions spray in Fresh Lime and added some droplets over the top.
If you haven't guessed by now my colours that I NEVER work with are blue and green! I couldn't help myself though and HAD to add a little bit of pink!

I have done quite a lot of fussy cutting of flowers out of the paper range and I really like how they have turned out creating a bit of a frame around the photo! I have also used the Kaisercraft Flutter Dies and Stamp set. I have to say that previous to me using these I wondered what the point of having a die and stamp set together but I am totally converted!! I loved being able to cut the shape out with my Sizzix then just stamping the image onto it. I am very impressed and will be sourcing some more images like this in the future.. With some of the flowers and butterflies I have watered down some of my Dylusions paint in the Bubblegum pink and painted the stamped image, I have done the same with the Dylusions Spray in the fresh lime. I love the effect this has added to the page.

With my bigger Butterfly and big pink flower I have stamped them directly onto an old book, cut them out and then painted them once again using the Dylusions Bubblegum pink paint.

The little words down the bottom of the page I have stamped onto a circle shape then added it to the cluster down the bottom. I have added a few of the Kaisercraft Pearls to some of the middle of the flowers, my Title I have used some of the American Craft word stickers then finished my layout off with a Doodly border! I really Love how this layout ended up, at the start I thought it may have turned into a disaster but now I'm really happy with the end result!

Thanks for taking the time to look at my Layout, have you got your entry in yet? A $30 voucher to spend at the wonderful www.scrapbookitshop.com.au could be all yours!

I will be back again a little later in the month with another layout!
Thanks again Jane xxx

Cherished Friendships

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter.

I'm here today to share with you my first project for this month, April.

I'm hoping that you are encouraged to join us this month for the awesome challenge Jo has set for us!

Here is what I have come up with...

The requirements for this challenge are:

1. Friends (It can be in your photo, title, journalling, a quote)

2. Create with a colour that you don't normally use or like

3. Use die cuts on your project

4. Use stamping somewhere on your layout

I have used the same photo as Jo this month (no we didn't plan it!!! Sorry Jo!); two beautiful friends of mine that I truly cherish. This day was a very special day and it was so lovely that we could help Jo celebrate. I have used friends in my stamp quote as well ~ Friends are the sunshine of life!

I have actually used two colours that I don't really like, PINK and GREEN. For those of you who know me well...neither of these colours enter my scrapbooking world very often (usually only if I have been challenged or it is for a gift). Saying that, I love how this layout has turned out. 

The paper collection that I have been given to use this month is by Ultimate Crafts. It is called L'aquarelle Designs.

These papers are sold in a paper pad (24 double sided papers) which is filled with a range of different colours (most of which I would not ever use) but for those of you out there that love these colours I have used, purples, oranges, butterflies, birds etc...you would love this!!

I have fussy cut from the paper these gorgeous flowers and the bird to create my embellishment cluster.

I have also used the Kaisercraft Dies and Stamps sets - Feathered Friends and Flutter to stamp and die cut the images - flowers, butterflies on some of the patterned paper. I have used the pigment ink Brilliance Pearlescent Olive for the stamping.

I have also stamped some butterflies using the Memento Ink in Desert Sand. This was a great way to stamp in a way that is very subtle.

I have used the Kaisercraft 6x6 Template - Fern in the background with the Olive Brilliance pigment ink in the background.

I have also splattered some Heidi Swapp Colour Shine - Peach in the background as well.

Check out these other great stamps that I have used (some of them) as part of my layout.

I have also used the cute puffy alphabet stickers you can see in the background on my layout for the title 'Cherished'

Well, I hope that you have been inspired in some way by my project today.
Most of the products that have been used on this project are available to buy in the Scrapbookit store.

Don't forget that there is a $30 voucher up for grabs for a lucky winner if you enter this months challenge.

What are you waiting for? 

Go...get started...we can't wait to see what you come up with.

~ Mel ~